archicleistogamous
|ar-chi-cleis-to-gam-ous|
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/ˌɑrkiˌklaɪstəˈɡeɪməs/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑːkiˌklaɪstəˈɡæməs/
primarily closed, self-pollinating (plants)
Etymology
'archicleistogamous' originates from Greek elements: the prefix 'archi-' (from Greek 'arkhi-') meaning 'chief, principal', combined with 'kleistos' meaning 'closed' and 'gamos' meaning 'marriage/union' (used in botanical terms for mating or fertilization).
'archicleistogamous' is a modern botanical compound formed in English from classical Greek roots ('arkhi-' + 'kleistos' + 'gamos'), modeled on earlier terms like 'cleistogamous' (from Greek 'kleistos' + 'gamos') and created to specify a predominant form of cleistogamy.
Initially the roots conveyed 'chief/primary' + 'closed/marriage'; in modern botanical usage the compound has come to mean 'primarily closed-flowered (self-pollinating) in habit', a specialized descriptive term.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
describing a plant or population that is primarily or predominantly cleistogamous — producing closed, self-pollinating flowers as its main reproductive strategy.
Many alpine populations are archicleistogamous, relying mainly on closed self-pollinating flowers rather than open, insect-pollinated ones.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/06 16:08